Fabric fraying and fringing apparatus



Oct. 18, 1966 H. STRAUSS ETAL 3,279,026

FABRIC FRAYING AND FRINGING AP PARAIUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 6, 1964 $111K Z 7 E2 g7 fllmmmmmm- {g g 1 mmmumppy gmmmmmum \l INVENTORS HERBERT STRAUSS RAB/NOW/TZ PAUL Lou/s RATHER ATMRI/Efi Oct. 18, 1966 H. STRAUSS ETAL 3,279,025

7 FABRIC FRAYING AND FRINGING APPARATUS Filed July 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGA INVENTORS Ill-REEF? STRAUQF PAUL RABWOWITZ BY LOUIS RAT R United States Patent FABRIC FRAYING AND FRINGING APPARATUS Herbert Strauss, Port Washington, Paul Rabinowitz, Bronx, and Louis Ratner, Woodmere, N.Y., assignors to Apparel Bias Binding and Trim Corp., New York,

N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 6, 1964, Ser. No. 380,699 7 Claims. (Cl. 28-18) This invention relates to the fraying and fringing of fabrics. More particularly, it relates to novel apparatus which can mechanically both fray and fringe the edge of a fabric.

In many situations where decorative trimmings are used such as in draperies, shawls, etc., it is often desired that such trimming either have a frayed edge of a fringe. Also, it is quite often desired that wearing apparel, in keeping with the fashion of the day, also have a rough edge and in some cases a fringe.

Normally, to provide a rough edge on a fabric, some of the woven strands of the fabric are removed. Because the warp and woof of a woven fabric are at right angles to each other, the warp and woof strands remaining after the edge of the fabric has been roughened are prevented by their right angled interweaving from ravelling and falling away.

To remove a strand from the edge of a long length of fabric is tedius and time consuming, the required procedure necessitating the insertion of a sewing needle at one point to separate a thread and pull it partly away and then repeatedly insert the needle further along the edge of the fabric until the entire strand is removed. Where fabrics are woven on the bias, it has been found possible to fray the edge thereof mechanically by using a rotating burr wheel. Such fringing could never achieve much length and usually only provided a roughened end. In the past such wheel was ineffective in fringing a fabric whose warp and woof were not on a bias. It is most desirable to have a machine that'can fringe a straight cut fabric and remove strands along various width edges, overcoming the tedious hand and needle method of the past.

According to the present invention, an apparatus is provided for mechanically fraying and fringing the edge of a straight cut fabric of desired width of edge and to a desired depth or length of fringe.

Generally speaking and in accordance with the invention, there is provided an apparatus for fraying and fringing the edge of astraight cut woven fabric comprising a support for disposing the edge for a fraying and/or fringing operation, means adapted to be rotated disposed along and spaced from the edge, and edge strand pulling means comprising a strip having a multiplicity of pins projecting therefrom, the pins projecting a distance exceeding the Width of the aforesaid spacing, the strip being helically disposed around the periphery of the rotatable means, the rotation of the rotatable means causing the pins to ravel the strands running longitudinally the aforesaid edge.

Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic of the invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention and manner in which it may be carried out may be further understood by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a plan view of an illustrative embodiment of a fabric fraying and fringing apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in plan view in FIG. 1;

3,279,026 Patented Oct. 18, 1966 "ice FIG. 3 is a section taken along line 33 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; v

FIG. 4 is a view of a swatch of woven fabric with its weave expanded for convenience of understanding and showing how a strand longitudinal the edge of a woven fabric is pulled away therefrom; and

FIG. 5 shows a swatch of woven fabric in which several strands along the edge of the fabric had been removed to provide a fringe thereat.

Referring now to FIGS. l-3, the apparatus may suitably rest on a table 10 or other suitable supporting means. The apparatus essentially comprises a spindle 12 running lengthwise the apparatus and adapted to be rotated by a motor 14 with its associated belt and pulley arrangement generally designated by the number 16, spindle 12 having an axially disposed shaft for having translated there-to the energy of motor 14 through belt and pulley arrangement 16.

Helically wound around the cylindrical surface of spindle 12 is a strip 18 having a multiplicity of pins 20 consisting suitably of steel projecting from its surface, the pins, as will be explained further hereinbelow, functioning to provide the ravelling action on the edge of the woven fabric to be frayed and/ or fringed.

Disposed beneath and spaced from spindle 12 and strip 18 is a frame 22 of parallel spaced rodlike members 24, members 24 suitably being of a strong material such as piano wires. Wires 24 suitably are disposed in a horizontal plane parallel to the axis of spindle 12. The spacing between wire frame 22 and spindle 12 is chosen such that during the rotation of spindle 12, the ends of the pins will penetrate at least a short distance below the plane of wire frame 22 whereby they create a pulling action against a fabric strand placed between pins 20 and piano wire frame 22. Piano wire frame 22 is suitably .affixed at one end to a support block 26 and at its other end rests on a base board 28. The lateral ends of base board 28 are adapted to ride 'in channels 29 and 31 in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the axis of spindle 12, such riding being effected by a worm screw 32 which is normally opera-ted by a wheel 34, the end of screw 32 bearing against base board 28. Channel bars 29 and 31 may suitably be supported by wooden blocks 33 and 35 having channel frames thereon and which rest on table 10 and are maintained thereon in proper position by suitable support means.

To enable the maintaining the edge of a woven fabric in a fixed position while it is subjected to the ravelling operation of spindle 12 and helical strip 18, a retaining bar 36 is provided. Bar 36 is approximately as long as the sum of the length of base board 28 and the widths of channels 29 and 31 respectively andis disposed parallel to spindle 12. Its ends rest on the upper arms of channels 29 and 31 whereby the edge of a cloth disposed between it and base board 28 will be positioned above piano wire frame 22. As is seen, bar 36 suitably comprises a base portion 36a and a pair of legs 36b and 36c, extending in the same direction from, and perpendicular to the base portion. A pair of handles 38 and 40 are suitably provided, handles 38 and 40 being affixed to base board 28 and having pivotal arms 38a and 40a respectively which when pivoted cause bar 36 to be freed from bearing against channels 29 and 31. Cross bars generally designated by the numeral 42 serve to provide a rigid framework for piano wire frame 22.

In considering the operation of the apparatus of FIGS. 1-3, the edge of the woven fabric to be frayed and/or fringed in fixed position by placing it between released bar 36 and base board 28. Handles 38 and 40 are brought to the position where bar portion 36a of bar 36 is aflixed flat against the fabric with its edge projecting.

The edge of the fabric is then positioned under spindle 12 by guiding base board 28 a suflicient distance to be placed under spindle 12 for fraying and/ or fringing action. Such guiding is accomplished by the turning of wheel 34 to turn worm screw 32.

With the turning on of motor 14 and the consequent rotation of spindle 12, the pins on strip 18 moving helically penetrate a short distance below the plane of wire frame 22. In so doing, they encounter the edge strands of the fabric in their path whereby the edge lengthwise strands of the fabric are pulled away from the crossed strands at a gentle angle. This ravelling path of the pins is shown in FIG. 4. It is seen therein that the ravelling path is, effectively, that which a human operator would make by hand. To increase the length of the fringe, it is merely necessary to free bar 36, move the fabric further along on base board 28, afiix bar 36 in place and then guide base board 28 further in toward spindle 12. Thus, a fringe of substantially any desired length can be provided with the apparatus of the invention.

The terms and expressions which are employed are used as terms of description. It is recognized, though,

the periphery of said rotatable means, the rotation of said rotatable means causing said pins to ravel the strands of said fabric running longitudinally said edge at a gentle angle.

2. An apparatus for fraying and fringing the edge of a straight cut woven fabric comprising a support for disposing said edge for a fraying and fringing operation, aspindle adapted to be rotated disposed along and spaced from said edge, and strand pulling means comprising a strip having a multiplicity of pins projecting therefrom,

said pins projecting a distance exceeding the width of said spacing, said strip being helically disposed around the periphery of said spindle, the rotation of said spindle causing said pins to ravel the strands of said fabric running longitudinally said edge at a gentle angle.

3. An apparatus for fraying and fringing the edge of and spaced from both said spindle and said frame, said.

pins projecting an amount sufiicient to penetrate through said wire frame during the rotation of said spindle, the rotation of said spindle causing said pins to ravel the strands of said fabric running longitudinally said edge. 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said rod-.

like members comprise piano wire.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said pins comprise a strong metal and are disposed on said strip so as to freely penetrate said frame during said rotation.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 and further including means for variably moving said support to enable said fringing action.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said support comprises a base board and a bar adapted to be placed in initmate contact with said base board and wherein said support moving means comprises a worm screw normally bearing against said base board.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 455,729 7,1891 Schofield 2631 861,661 7/1907 King 28-18 3,012,302 12/ 1961 Parmele et a1 2872 X 3,128,526 4/ 1964 Plastock 28-18 3,195,216 7/1965 Polakoif 2818 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

DONALD W. PARKER, Examiner.

L. K. RIMRODT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR FRAYING SAID FRINGING THE EDGE OF A STRAIGHT CUT WOVEN FABRIC COMPRISING A SUPPORT FOR DISPOSING SAID EDGE FOR A FRAYING AND FRINGING OPERATION, MEANS ADAPTED TO BE ROTATED DISPOSED ALONG AND SPACED FROM SAID EDGE, AND STRAND PULLING MEANS COMPRISING A STRIP HAVING A MULTIPLICITY OF PINS PROJECTING THEREFROM, SAID PINS PROJECTING A DISTANCE EXCEEDING THE WIDTH OF SAID SPACING, SAID STRIP BEING HELICALLY DISPOSED AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID ROTATABLE MEANS, THE ROTATION OF SAID ROTATABLE MEANS CAUSING SAID PINS TO RAVEL THE STRANDS OF SAID FABRIC RUNNING LONGITUDINALLY SAID EDGE AT A GENTLE ANGLE. 